Commemorating the End of an Era
The RAF Puma Hangar Dinner at RAF Benson
On the evening of Friday 4 July 2025, over 500 guests gathered at RAF Benson for a poignant and memorable hangar dinner to mark the retirement of the Puma helicopter from Royal Air Force service. After 54 years of operational duty, the event commemorated not just the aircraft itself but the extraordinary people who flew, maintained, and supported the Puma throughout its history.
Hosted in one of RAF Benson’s aircraft hangars, the dinner brought together veterans, serving personnel, engineers, families, and honoured guests with ties to the Puma’s operational legacy. Particular tribute was paid to 33 Squadron, the unit most closely associated with the Puma, alongside personnel from 230 Squadron and 28 Squadron, all three having flown the aircraft during its operational lifespan.
The Founders Company was represented at the event by the Master Alan Hughes and the Author of this article. Their presence highlighted the connection between the Company and the RAF, as well as the importance of honouring those who serve.
The evening was filled with stories, tributes, and quiet reflection on the Puma’s contribution across multiple theatres of operation, from Northern Ireland and the Falklands to the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan and more recently Mali.
Throughout the evening, guests were reminded of the bravery and professionalism of all those who operated the Puma under arduous and often perilous conditions.
The event offered a moment to remember those who lost their lives while flying the aircraft in service to their country. Photographs, memorabilia, and operational histories were displayed, bringing into focus the connection between aircraft and crew that defines military aviation.
The dinner itself was a formal and fitting occasion. Speeches from senior RAF personnel, past and present, paid heartfelt tribute to the Puma’s role as a stalwart of UK rotary aviation and its contribution to tactical airlift, troop transport, and humanitarian aid. The aircraft’s remarkable longevity, a result of robust design, continuous engineering support and outstanding operational handling was celebrated alongside the commitment of those who kept it flying.
A particular highlight of the evening was the gathering of multiple generations of aircrew and groundcrew, many of whom had not seen each other in years. There was a powerful sense of shared purpose and mutual respect, as well as pride in having been part of a helicopter community that made a lasting contribution to the RAF and UK defence.
As the RAF prepares for a new chapter in rotary aviation, the hangar dinner at Benson served as a dignified farewell to the Puma, an aircraft that served the nation with distinction, and one that will be remembered with affection and pride by all who had the honour to fly or serve alongside it.
Author: Court Assistant Hon Group Captain Richard Lewis